Robotic Jellyfish Actuated by Soft FinRay Effect Structured Tentacles

摘要

In nature, the softness, compliance and morphology of an organism's body can generate efficient behaviours through interactions with the environment, without the need to involve the brain. Mimicking this approach in robotics could lead to more efficient systems that are easier to control. In this paper, we present a proof-of-concept for a bio-inspired soft robot that exploits its morphology and a very simple mechanical actuation method for locomotion. We draw inspiration from the jellyfish, one of the most efficient swimmer in our oceans, and design and fabricate soft tentacles based on the FinRay structure. We form the robot jellyfish by integrating four tentacles into a central mantle and actuate them through a rod coupled with a servo. Following initial tests, we improved the structure of the tentacles and the actuation control to generate a natural looking movement. The interaction with the surrounding environment was highlighted by the injection of fluorescent dye, imaged under UV. This showed the jetting behaviour of the robot jellyfish and the generation of vortices at the tip of the tentacles.